Fine European Excellence

Fine European Excellence

Fine European Excellence is found in the finest brand names in the world. It is generally recognized that goods produced in Europe are superior in materials, design, and craftsmanship.  European brands like Rolls Royce, Channel, Louis Vitton, and Gucci among other come to mind immediately when you are thinking of luxury.

Fashion, Cars, And Watches

Almost every aspect of luxury you can imagine comes from Europe.   The runways of Milan, Paris, and London evoke a sense of style that can not be compared.  According to an article published in Lux-Review, Milan is generally acknowledged as the fashion capital of the world, https://www.lux-review.com/must-see-destinations-for-fashionistas/

Cadillac is certainly an American icon.   However, even its brand appears tainted when compared to Mercedes, Rolls Royce, BMW, Jaguar, Audi, and others. Cadillac was not even listed in a recent list of the top 10 luxury cars:

https://luxe.digital/business/digital-luxury-ranking/best-luxury-car-brands/

When you think of intricate craftsmanship with exact tolerances and strict standards, watch manufacturing may immediately come to mind. There is no doubt that Rolex, Patek Phillipe, and Omega are among the most highly desired watches in the world. Prestige.com ranked them this way:  https://www.prestigetime.com/blog/must-know-luxury-watch-brands.html

Fine Europe Excellence Dominates Fine Pianos

Consequently, it comes as no surprise that Europe dominates Fine Piano Craftsmanship. In today’s pianos, Europe, and specifically Germany, leads the way when it comes to design, innovation, and craftsmanship. There are pianos manufactured in Italy, Austria, Estonia, France, and the Czech Republic. Notwithstanding, Germany still dominates the piano industry. The highest quality and most prestigious brands (6) are manufactured in Europe, according to PianoBuyer. Considering we are talking about Fine European Excellence, it is worth noting that four of the six are German (https://www.pianobuyer.com/article/a-map-of-the-market-for-new-pianos-ratings/ ). You will find that these are simply the best based on objective research. However, they do have individualistic characteristics that you might prefer one to another.

 

Why Europe?

Reasonably, you may ask “Why Europe”?  What does Europe do differently that makes its products so desirable? It’s a rather simple formula: Europe is the leader because they value their past while creating their future. They stick to time-honored traditions of quality without trying to appeal to a “price-point”. They also invest in apprenticeships and value workers. A fifth-generation employee at a factory is often seen working side-by-side with an apprentice. Only after years of training and rigorous testing does a piano-builder earn the title “master craftsman,” this makes continuity and quality a non-issue.

European manufacturers are dogged when it comes to the quality of raw materials. They spare no expense in obtaining the finest woods and raw materials needed in production.

What About The Others?

What about the others? Of course, good pianos are produced in other countries.  However, at the pinnacle, there is an adherence to detail that simply can’t exist below a given price point. What a European company might consider “unusable” a manufacturer from Asia might consider “acceptable.”

With pianos, sound and performance are what matter. Every pair of ears hear things differently.  Pianos from different European manufacturers may have the same quality but may sound quite different.  Play them all!!! Incidentally, you can afford a piano you can be proud to own and play, it doesn’t take winning the lottery.

R. Kassman Piano of Berkeley has been the main supplier of Fine European Pianos since 1979 in the Bay Area.  We have the largest selection of European Pianos in the Bay. You will not find another dealer more compassionate about Fine European Pianos. Looking forward to meeting you sometime soon.

 

Ric Overton

R. Kassman Piano

843 Gilman ST

Berkeley, CA 94710

510-558-0765